The water crisis in Morocco is real. It worries both observers, environmentalists and activists, as well as the nation’s elected officials. As of September 2021, the Kingdom has experienced an average rainfall between 10.5mm and 308mm, which is an estimated deficit of 48% nationally compared to the average rainfall for the same period of the year. last.
The drought and water shortage observed during this year 2022, have raised great concern as well as questions about the practical and urgent measures to be taken to provide the population with drinking water from the systems. sustainable water and how to strengthen the processes of additional water exploration, in addition to the measures taken by the line ministry to finance the emergency program and its implementation, taking into account the level of water deficit and the scarcity of rainfall.
In view of this exceptional situation in our country, the Ministry of Equipment and Water has confirmed that a set of measures and solutions have been proactively developed to overcome the water shortage that may occur. in some towns and villages.
In coordination between the different actors, the department of Nizar Baraka indicated that a set of urgent measures have been taken during the month of December 2021 aimed at ensuring the supply of drinking water by preparing a set of conventions between the different actors. to remedy the water deficit. These agreements concern the basins of Moulouya Tensift, Oum Rabii and, more recently, Guir-Ziz-Rhéris, with a total cost estimated at 2.335 billion dirhams.
In a statement to MoroccoLatestNewsthe supervisory ministry indicated that the volume of water stocks in the dams until May 20, 2022 amounted to approximately 5.28 billion cubic meters, or 32.8% of the total filling rate, against 49 8% recorded on the same date last year, noting that the stock of water currently available will make it possible to secure the drinking water needs of all the major cities supplied by the dams under normal conditions, with the exception of those belonging to Moulouya, Oum Rbii, Tensift and Guir-Ziz-Rhéris, which may experience a water shortage given the current low stock of water in these basins.
Solicited by MoroccoLatestNews UK on this subject, Mohamed Benata, agricultural engineer, Dr in Geography, and fervent defender of the environment, believes that it is necessary to have a very advanced and futuristic vision when it comes to water management.
” The drought issue is not a temporary conjuncture that fell on our heads, but rather a structural issue, that is to say that every 5 years, we will experience 2 to 3 years of drought. Now, individuals who are in positions of responsibility must plan and prevent the drought that will come after, and most certainly next year, which is a big problem for the country.“, worries Benata, also President of ESCO, founding member of ECOLOMAN. He believes that the water shortage we are experiencing today is ” the responsibility of the Ministries of Agriculture and Equipment and Water “.
Indeed, the ecologist recalled a recent statement by the Minister of Agriculture, who had announced the addition of four water pumping stations in addition to the new station set up in Oulad Stit which has exhausted the Moulouya. » They must be held responsible for this, because it is a false public policy for which we are paying a high price today, in addition to the last decisions that led us to this situation. “, supports Benata.
For the school, it is inconceivable that we have a limited quantity of water in Morocco, and timid rainfall which weakens from year to year, and on the side we are committed to creating new agricultural areas for export“.
” Today, everything has been exhausted, in particular the dams of Oum Rbii, Darâa, Oued Souss etc. and all water resources are weakening day by day, in particular the water tables of Morocco which have been strongly affected, with the exception of the North, which occasionally experiences some precipitation, and is therefore not very affected by this water scarcity. So we have to have a futuristic vision in this water management file and not wait for the crisis to decide whether we should limit water consumption and resort to cuts“, laments Benata.
Moreover, the ecologist ensures that we have already arrived at the stage of cuts. » Oujda, Nador and Berkane are experiencing water cuts today. And even the quality of the water is no longer as before, especially in Berkane where the water is salty, since the Moulouya and the source of Moulay Ali have been abused in addition to the Mechraa Hammadi dam, which has now dried up . They now pump springs that feed the Moulouya to serve Berkane, Nador and region“, he says.
Which is worse, he continues, it’s that we suffer from a shortage of water, and officials recognize this, but we continue to motivate large agricultural producers by giving them subsidies to set up drip irrigation, in addition to drilling wells that are done in an anarchic waye “.
” So the administration has created a catastrophic situation and we don’t know what to expect in the future, except a water disaster. We just ask God to give us rain to remedy this critical situation“, concludes the expert.
.